BILL EAGLES

Bil’s rating (out of 5):   BBB.5

United Kingdom, 2000.  Arts Council of England, DNA Films, DNA Pictures International, Snakeman Productions.  Screenplay by Simon Donald.  Cinematography by James Welland.  Produced by Simon Donald, Alan J. Wands.  Music by Murray Gold.  Production Design by Andy Harris.  Costume Design by Trisha Biggar.  Film Editing by Jon Gregory.  

Hilarious independent British comedy stars a brilliant Susan Lynch as a mistreated young woman who one day decides to finally rid herself of her drug-addicted boyfriend (Iain Glen) and buys a bus ticket to leave London for good. On her way out she is interrupted by the sight of Rachel Weisz (equally brilliant) who is being beaten up by a mean old bloke, so Lynch pops him in the head with a giant steel pole she finds nearby.

They take the groggy victim home to Lynch’s apartment only to realize soon after that he has died from the injury and they are now both murderers. The little caper that ensues, involving kidnapping and ransom from the deceased victim’s family, is hilarious and witty, not to mention short enough to avoid the risk of ever getting on your nerves.

Performances are wonderful, and though the script doesn’t feature anything you didn’t already know from other movies of its kind (particularly in this error of grimy British crime capers), it’s still quite clever and inventive.